Volatile material dispenser and method of retaining refills in same

Abstract

A volatile material dispenser includes a housing, a retention mechanism coupled to the housing, a first refill having a wick extending therefrom, and a first adapter removably attached to a portion of the first refill. The retention mechanism non-removably retains the first adapter to the housing when the first refill and the first adapter combination are inserted therein. When the first refill is removed from the dispenser, the first adapter remains in the dispenser such that a second refill with a second adapter removably attached thereto can be inserted into and retained by the first adapter.

1 . A method of retaining refills in a volatile material dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first refill having a container with a volatile material therein, a neck portion extending upwardly from the container, and a wick in contact with the volatile material and extending out of the refill through the neck portion;   providing a first adapter removably attached to the neck portion of the first refill;   providing instructions for insertion of the first refill with the first adapter attached thereto into the volatile material dispenser so that a retention mechanism within the dispenser fixedly retains the first adapter and the first refill to the housing;   providing instructions for removal of the first refill from the first adapter, whereby upon removal, the first adapter is retained within the dispenser; and   providing instructions for insertion of a second refill having a second adapter removably attached to a second neck portion thereof into the volatile material dispenser such that the second refill is retained in the dispenser.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of preventing removal of the first adapter from the dispenser and thereby preventing use of the retention mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of retaining the second refill nested within the first adapter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further including the steps of providing the first and second adapters with inner and outer surfaces and inserting the second refill into the dispenser such that a friction fit is created between an outer surface of the second adapter and an inner surface of the first adapter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further including the steps of providing instructions for removal of the second refill from the first adapter with the second adapter still attached to the second refill and providing instructions for attachment of a further refill for to the first adapter. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further including the step of providing attachment mechanisms on the inner surfaces of the first and second adapters that allow the adapters to be removed from respective refills in a first direction, but not in a second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each attachment mechanism includes a projection disposed on the inner surface of the respective adapter and a groove disposed in the neck portion of the respective refill such that the projection is retained in the groove to retain the adapter on the refill. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further including the steps of tapering the inner and outer walls from upper to lower ends thereof and tapering the neck portion of the refill in the same manner such that movement of the container away from the adapter is facilitated by the tapering and movement toward the adapter is prevented by the tapering. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of providing a volatile material dispenser. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are provided in the form of advertising. 
     
     
         11 . A volatile material dispenser, comprising:
 a housing;   a retention mechanism coupled to the housing;   a first refill having a wick extending therefrom;   a first adapter removably attached to a portion of the first refill,   wherein the retention mechanism non-removably retains the first adapter to the housing when the first refill and first adapter combination are inserted therein; and   wherein when the first refill is removed from the dispenser, the first adapter remains in the dispenser such that a second refill with a second adapter removably attached thereto can be inserted into and retained by the first adapter.   
     
     
         12 . The volatile material dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second adapters are sized and dimensioned such that an upper end of the second adapter fits within a lower end of the first adapter. 
     
     
         13 . The volatile material dispenser of  claim 12 , wherein the second adapter fits securely within the first adapter by a friction fit created by an outer surface of the second adapter and an inner surface of the first adapter. 
     
     
         14 . The volatile material dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second adapters includes an attachment mechanism on an inner surface thereof that allows the adapters to be removed from respective refills in a first direction, but not a second direction and wherein each attachment mechanism includes a projection disposed on the inner surface of the respective adapter and a groove disposed in the neck portion of the respective refill such that the projection is retained in the groove to retain the adapter on the refill. 
     
     
         15 . The volatile material dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second adapters are removable from the first and second refills, respectively, in a first direction, but not in a second direction. 
     
     
         16 . A method of retaining refills in a volatile material dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:
 inserting a first refill having a container with a volatile material therein, a neck portion extending upwardly from the container, a wick in contact with the volatile material and extending out of the refill through the neck portion, and a first adapter removably attached to the neck portion into a volatile material dispenser having a retention mechanism so that the retention mechanism fixedly retains the first adapter and the first refill to the housing;   removing the first refill from the dispenser, whereby upon removal, the first adapter is retained within the dispenser; and   inserting a second refill having a second adapter removably attached to a second neck portion thereof into the volatile material dispenser such that the second refill is retained in the dispenser.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second refill is nested within the first adapter to retain the second refill in the dispenser. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second adapters include tapered inner and outer surfaces and a friction fit is created between the outer surface of the second adapter and the inner surface of the first adapter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further including the step of removing the second refill from the dispenser with the second adapter still disposed thereon. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further including the step of inserting a further refill having a further adapter removably attached to a further neck portion thereof into the dispenser for retention of the further adapter within the first adapter.